CAIC

Avalanche Details

Location: Waterfall Canyon, south of Ophir
State: Colorado
Date: 2024/01/22
Time: Unknown
Summary Description: 1 backcountry snowboarder caught and killed
Primary Activity: Backcountry Tourer
Primary Travel Mode: Snowboard

Number

Caught: 1
Fully Buried: 0
Injured: 0
Killed: 1

Avalanche

Type: --
Trigger: --
Trigger (subcode): --
Size - Relative to Path: R1
Size - Destructive Force: D2
Sliding Surface: O - Within Old Snow

Site

Slope Aspect: NW
Site Elevation: 11475 ft
Slope Angle: --
Slope Characteristic: --

Accident Summary

PRELIMINARY: A backcountry snowboarder was caught and killed in an avalanche on January 22, 2024, in Waterfall Creek, south of Ophir. The avalanche occurred on a northwest aspect below treeline. Friends reported the rider overdue that evening. A friend of the snowboarder followed what appeared to be a fresh up-track to a transition point above a slope locally known as the “Banker”. One set of fresh tracks descended the slope below. The friend returned to Ophir via the ascent route Search and rescue teams reached the accident site and recovered the snowboarder’s body on the morning of January 23. Search and rescue efforts were led by the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office and supported by San Miguel Search and Rescue, Helitrax, and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.

Media

Images

<b>Figure 1:</b> Waterfall Creek, south of the town of Ophir. Search and rescue teams recovered the skier’s body near the area indicated by the red star. (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/zd149u5upjv1ryc9jque8wdsswli?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=2429e18c4ebe4c008dea5c4fa65ec809','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 2:</b> An image of the slope with the avalanche outlined in red. January 23, 2024. (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/51u1xlw6o95z3btxexbvtag9arna?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=8b4b9f7f48599d0800d0698446ddc5ba','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 3:</b> Snow stratigraphy near the avalanche crown. The avalanche broke in the faceted snow, and stepped to the ground in places. January 23, 2024. (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/zw6m5fd5z9pjw32sn98ylxorssse?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=7aa711d9d49e43d30f9f8ad726358f97','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)